HRV girls approach double digits in win

PENDLETON — When you’re playing against teams in the lower half of the league, it can be easy to let down your guard.

Unless you’re talking about the HRV soccer girls.

The Eagles pounded out their fourth shutout win in three weeks Thursday, punishing the Pendleton Buckaroos by a score of 9-0.

Junior striker Acer Lopez scored twice and senior team captain Becca Meierbachtol scored four times to raise the team’s season total to 28 in seven games. Meierbachtol also took over the team lead with eight, while Lopez raised her total to seven.

“Everything seems to be working right now,” coach Sue Farro said of her team, which scored four goals in the game’s first 12 minutes. “I don’t care which team you’re talking about: 28 goals is a lot!”

Jazzy Cohen, Anna Hidle and Elie Meierbachtol also scored on the afternoon, giving Farro very little to worry about from the sidelines.

“We traveled a long way for a pretty easy game,” she said. “They weren’t imposing at all, and did absolutely nothing to scare us.”

The Eagles, still four points out of first place because Mountain View has played one more game, are now gearing up for a rematch against fifth-place Redmond, who left Hood River on Sept. 11 with a tie.

“We had a ton of shots on them the first time, but we’re not taking them for granted,” Farro said. “We expect them to play a defensive-minded game, so we can’t force the ball. We just need to let the game come to us.”

HRV travels to Remond Tuesday and returns home Friday for a rematch with fourth-place Bend.